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We Lift Up In Prayer...
New:
The Rev. Dr. Sharlyn Gates, her husband Fred and the Holly congregation
as Sharlyn retires at the end of the month and moves closer to family.
Mission Co-Workers:
The Rev. Cathy Chang and family who are serving in the Philippines.
Michael and Rachel Ludwig
,
our Mission Co-Workers
who are serving in Niger.
For those Teaching Elders (Ministers of Word and Sacrament) and Commissioned Ruling Elders (CREs) who are celebrating Ordination or Commissioning Anniversaries in April and May:
Elder Jon Baker (4/26) - Commissioned Ruling Elder of Rosebush
The Rev. Hoon Koo Lee (4/27) - Member-At-Large
The Rev. Alec Brooks (5/1) - Honorably Retired
The Rev. Ed Borycz (5/12) - Honorably Retired
The Rev. Dale Swihart (5/16) - 45 Years - Honorably Retired
The Rev. Dr. Daniel Ahn (5/18) - 40 Years - Honorably Retired
The Rev. Bruce Cunningham (5/18) - 65 Years - Honorably Retired
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As I write this we are only two short weeks away from Holy Week - the most important dates on the church calendar. Holy Week takes us on a journey with Jesus from his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday through the events of his Last Supper, his arrest, crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. It is a week of major emotional shifts from hope to despair to victory.
But when we talk about Holy Week, we could just as easily call it "Women's Week." Without the women who followed Jesus, much of what we celebrate would not have happened in quite the same way.
It was a woman who broke open a bottle of expensive nard to anoint Jesus at the home of Lazarus in Bethany. When the disciples objected this as a waste, Jesus commended her for her devotion. Unnamed women were among those gathered in the Upper Room, and undoubtedly prepared the Last Supper meal. It was three women: Mary (Jesus' mother), Mary Magdalene, and Salome who remained at the cross while Jesus died, even though all the male disciples had fled.
The two Marys also followed Joseph of Arimathea who took the body of Jesus and laid it in the tomb.
But most important of all, it was the three women at the cross - the two Marys and Salome - who went to the tomb early on Sunday morning to anoint the body with spices, where they encountered the empty tomb and were told of Jesus' resurrection. According to John, Mary Magdalene stayed behind and had the first encounter with the risen Lord.
Think about it: we know of Easter because of the proclamation of women. Then, for centuries, we denied women the right to make that same, transforming, life-giving proclamation. I am grateful that our denomination has ordained women to the ministry of the Word and Sacrament now for over 60 years. I was mentored in my first experience in parish ministry by a woman (the Rev. Sue Ellis Melrose). And now, my daughter Jenny is following her own call to proclaim the good news.
As I work with congregations seeking pastors, we require that they give full consideration to both men and women candidates. But I sometimes find that the agreement is less than enthusiastic. For some people "pastor" is a male noun. If we pay attention to the events of Holy Week, we will learn that it women were preachers of the gospel before men! This Holy Week - this "women's week" - let's recognize our debt to the women who were the last to leave the cross, the first to encounter the risen Christ, and the first to proclaim the good news which we celebrate.
Dan Saperstein, E
xecutive Presbyter
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The latest editions of the Parish Paper are now available for your use - free of charge. The topics are:
May: Tips For Starting and Managing a Worship Band
June: Overcoming Volunteer Burnout By Building Capacity
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Presbyterian Youth Triennium
The Presbytery of Lake Huron is forming a delegation to attend Triennium. We want YOU to be a part of this life changing event! Please contact Philomena Ofori-Nipaah (
nhyira5@gmail.com) or Nikelle Johnson (
nejohnson23@gmail.com) with questions and/or to indicate your interest in attending.
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The presbytery is offering training to church officers and members to prepare for the four emergencies you are most likely to encounter at home or at church.
The training dates are:
Saturday September 14 at Korean Presbyterian, 5560 McCarty Rd., Saginaw 989.792.8280
or
Saturday September 21 at St. Andrews 8192 Davison Rd.,
Davison 810.653.6824
You will learn how to perform CPR on someone who is not breathing, how to use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) on someone who is having a heart attack, how to respond to someone who is choking and how to properly use a fire extinguisher. You may register for one of the four class times offered. There will be morning and afternoon CPR/AED/Choking sessions with lunch and fire extinguisher training for the entire group in between. Please note that the CPR/AED/Choking sessions are limited to 18 people per class to ensure adequate equipment and trainer interaction.
The classes are offered on a first-come first-serve basis at a cost of $22.50 per person.
Due to the need to have confirmed participants, payment of $22.50 per person including lunch is due within 5 business days of registration. Once you register, you will receive an invoice via email from Rose Onan with the amount due.
We cannot issue refunds for cancellations after August 31st.
Morning Session
8:45-9:00 AM Registration
9:00-11:30 AM Friends and Family Adult CPR and AED Infant, Child and Adult choking
(max 18 people)
11:45-12:30 PM Lunch
12:45-2:00 PM Fire Extinguisher Training - a video followed by participants actually using a fire extinguisher to put a small controlled fire
2:00 PM Departure
Afternoon Session
11:15-11:45 AM Registration
11:45-12:30 PM Lunch
12:45-2:00 PM Fire Extinguisher Training - a video followed by participants actually using a fire extinguisher to put a small controlled fire
2:00-4:30 PM Friends and Family Adult CPR and AED Infant, Child and Adult choking
(max 18 people)
4:30 PM Departure
Make checks payable to Presbytery of Lake Huron and mail to:
Presbytery of Lake Huron,
PO Box 6129, Saginaw, Michigan 48608-6129
Multiple people may be paid with one check but a separate registration is required for each participant.
Note: CPR and AED training will provide participants with the skills to assist someone who is not breathing and to effectively use and AED or help someone who is choking. This training will not qualify participants to receive an American Red Cross CPR certification.
For additional information on how to prepare your church, please visit the Emergency Preparedness page on our website.
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Next Tuesday, April 9th, Lapeer-First is hosting the final night of its Lenten soup & study series exploring the writings of C.S. Lewis, one of the most widely-read Christian thinkers of the last century. Each night begins at 6pm with fellowship over a homecooked soup dinner, followed by watching a C.S. Lewis Doodle video narrating a chapter from a different Lewis book each week, from Lewis' reasons for converting to Christianity to his devilishly clever take on spiritual warfare. Afterwards, the pastor and C.E. director explain how the narrated chapter fits into Lewis' larger work and then open up the conversation for questions and discussion. Though in the series' final week, all are still welcome to attend. For more information, visit the event page on Lapeer-First's brand new website.
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Next week
Bay City-First begins their weekly lunchtime concert series for Lent.
Concerts are held each Wednesday from 12:15-12:45pm beginning March 13th.
Click here for more details.
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Presbyterian Women In The Synod of the Covenant 2019 Gathering
July 12-13, 2019
Covenant Presbyterian Church
2070 Ridgecliff Road
Columbus, OH 43221
Speakers include:
Eugenia Gamble, author of the 2019-2020 Horizons Bible Study, Love Carved in Stone: A Fresh Look at the Ten Commandments will provide an overview of the study. In two workshops she will offer ideas and resources for study leaders.
Carol Winkler, former Moderator of Presbyterian Women in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Inc. will share the latest from Churchwide PW where she serves ex officio.
Diane Moffett, Presbyterian Mission Agency president and executive director will speak about the mission of the PC(USA) today.
Click here for a brochure with more details and registration information.
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| Other Training Opportunities |
Mediation Skills Training For Church Leaders
What: Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders (MSTI)
When: May 13-17, 2019
Who: Clergy and lay leaders who are interested in learning skills to help deal more effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of group conflict
Please note that the deadline by which to register and receive a $200 tuition discount is April 12, 2019.
Please join us for this exceptional interdenominational workshop, and discover for yourself why a previous participant once described MSTI as "the Golden Globe winner of conflict resolution programs"! Even if you cannot participate, we would appreciate it if you would be so kind as to forward this message to colleagues who you believe might benefit from this training, or post an ad on a denominational website or in a regional newsletter.
For complete details, please consult this brochure.
For more information about the mission and programs of the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, we invite you to visit our website at www.LMPeaceCenter.org.
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Board of Pensions Pre-Retirement Planning Training
NOTE: The Board of Pensions always hosts very informative events but please note the second day of this is the same day as our June stated meeting of presbytery in which the Stated Clerk of the PC(USA), the Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson will be our guest and will be giving the sermon. His preaching is inspiring.
The Board of Pensions will present Growing into Tomorrow ... Today, our two-day pre-retirement planning seminar at St. Francis Retreat Center, in DeWitt, MI, on Monday, June 3, 2019, to Tuesday, June 4, 2019.
Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis through the registration deadline shown below.
About the Seminar
Planning for retirement can be challenging. Attend our two-day seminar and explore the steps you can take today to plan for your best retirement tomorrow.
During the seminar, participants will
- identify key questions for discernment in planning for retirement;
- assess their finances, options for saving before retirement, and reasonable expectations for retirement living;
- discuss healthcare options available through Medicare and supplemental insurances; and
- create their next steps in life balance, relationships, housing, health, and finances.
When: June 3, 2019, to June 4, 2019; 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, both days
Where: St. Francis Retreat Center, 703 E. Main Street, DeWitt, Michigan 48820
Fees: Registration Fee: $0; Meal Fee: $56.00 per person (includes lunch and refreshments both days)
Register By: May 17, 2019
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Connect With Other Churches In The Lake Huron Presbytery
There are so many wonderful things going on in all of our congregations. Several of our churches have set up Facebook pages to help spread the good news not only to their members but to all who may be interested. Liking other church Facebook pages is a great way to connect with others in the presbytery and to share ideas with each other. Here are some of the churches that have Facebook pages:
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'Like' Us On Facebook
The presbytery has a Facebook page and would like you to join us. Get updates and information faster. Connect with others to share ideas and to post information about events happening in your congregation. Join us today!
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| Staci Percy Communications Manager/Recording Clerk spercy@presbylh.org 989-799-7481 x2 |
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About the
Bi-Weekly Brief
Hundreds of elders, educators, and church leaders read the Presbytery of Lake Huron's email sent out every other week.
You can reissue or modify this content for your own church bulletin or newsletter, without crediting the Bi-Weekly Brief, but please credit any organizations, photographers, etc, that we credited.
NOTE: The Presbytery of Lake Huron retains permission to modify submissions for clarity and length. Inclusion of an item in the Bi-Weekly Brief means that we think it's interesting and/or important, and does not constitute an endorsement of its point of view or its journalistic accuracy.
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Mission Coordination Committee
April 8
1:30 pm
Presbytery Council
April 10
10:00 am
Commission on Preparation for Ministry
April 17
10:00 am
Presbytery Office Closed in Observance of Good Friday
April 19
Personnel Team
April 22
10:00 am
Commission on Ministry
April 24
11:00 am
Presbytery Council
May 8
10:00 am
Mission Coordination Committee
May 13
10:00 am
Presbyterian Women
May 16
10:00 am
Commission on Ministry
May 22
11:00 am
Presbytery Office Closed in Observance of Memorial Day
May 27
Presbytery Office Summer Hours Begin
May 28
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Details on these meetings can be found on the presbytery's website on the calendar.
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